Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog

I'm guessing you may have lino-cut an image for a print-making assignment 'round about junior high?  If that was the last time you used a 'v' cutter than you are missing out!  Carving stamps is easy, addictive, and an inexpensive way to customize art-making tools.  It's a great way to embrace "make it your own", one of my favorite mantras.  Designing and cutting your own images leads to art that is clever, authentic and personal.  I always have slabs or scraps of safety-cut material on my studio table to help me out in a pinch.  You can spend hours on a large and/or intricate piece like the first one I show, or whip out a few quickies like in the last sample.  Here's the thing – I've only the used the time-consuming one a few times, but the little trees have been used over and over.  Haven't tried your hand at carving yet?  I have a tutorial you can visit – maybe you'll take the plunge.

 

Visit the stamp carving tutorial by clicking on the TUTORIAL button in right sidebar, or click HERE.

I'm guessing you may have lino-cut an image for a print-making assignment 'round about junior high?  If that was the last time you used a 'v' cutter than you are missing out!  Carving stamps is easy, addictive, and an inexpensive way to customize art-making tools.  It's a great way to embrace "make it your own", one of my favorite mantras.  Designing and cutting your own images leads to art that is clever, authentic and personal.  I always have slabs or scraps of safety-cut material on my studio table to help me out in a pinch.  You can spend hours on a large and/or intricate piece like the first one I show, or whip out a few quickies like in the last sample.  Here's the thing – I've only the used the time-consuming one a few times, but the little trees have been used over and over.  Haven't tried your hand at carving yet?  I have a tutorial you can visit – maybe you'll take the plunge.

 

Visit the stamp carving tutorial by clicking on the TUTORIAL button in right sidebar, or click HERE.

Oooh, I love architectural scale models!  Even better, when they are toy theaters!  I first started assembling theaters from kits.  I have a few Benjamin Pollocks and used to love browsing through their site at all the offerings.  They have shelves of goodies.  The first theater type assemblage I made was for an article my friend Lynne Perrella wrote for Somerset Studio (Sept/Oct 2001).  Later I would make a much larger  theater with drop-in scenery, props, and characters for Lynne's book Beyond Paper Dolls (2006).  All the extras were stashed in a pull-out drawer which included a paper doll of Ville Valo.  Stampington surprised me by including him on The Raven stage with Poe for an article in Somerset Studio (Sept/Oct 2007).  It was a huge thrill to visit (was it 2004?) Joseph Musil's Salon of Theaters with Lynne and our True Colors friends at the Santora Arts Building in Santa Ana, CA.  Joe treated us to a presentation and shared his passion for the theater, the models, and the great architectural history of real theaters.  There are societies all over the world dedicated to making and displaying toy theaters.  I can see why – it's an addictive project.

It would be a fun workshop wouldn't it?  It would have to be at least two or three days long, and you'd have to expect some issues getting it home.  Maybe it could be my first online class?  Ooh, I'm not quite ready to be on camera yet.  I'll leave it to the pros.

 

Oooh, I love architectural scale models!  Even better, when they are toy theaters!  I first started assembling theaters from kits.  I have a few Benjamin Pollocks and used to love browsing through their site at all the offerings.  They have shelves of goodies.  The first theater type assemblage I made was for an article my friend Lynne Perrella wrote for Somerset Studio (Sept/Oct 2001).  Later I would make a much larger  theater with drop-in scenery, props, and characters for Lynne's book Beyond Paper Dolls (2006).  All the extras were stashed in a pull-out drawer which included a paper doll of Ville Valo.  Stampington surprised me by including him on The Raven stage with Poe for an article in Somerset Studio (Sept/Oct 2007).  It was a huge thrill to visit (was it 2004?) Joseph Musil's Salon of Theaters with Lynne and our True Colors friends at the Santora Arts Building in Santa Ana, CA.  Joe treated us to a presentation and shared his passion for the theater, the models, and the great architectural history of real theaters.  There are societies all over the world dedicated to making and displaying toy theaters.  I can see why – it's an addictive project.

It would be a fun workshop wouldn't it?  It would have to be at least two or three days long, and you'd have to expect some issues getting it home.  Maybe it could be my first online class?  Ooh, I'm not quite ready to be on camera yet.  I'll leave it to the pros.

 

I'm a self-taught photoshop artist.  I love manipulating graphics.  I have several ongoing assignments to maintain websites, design logos and print ads, and from time to time just give myself a project to do so I keep my skills up and try to discover new ways to use the platform.  I love making brushes and figuring out how to adjust layers – can you believe it took me several years before I even knew how to use layers?  Working in a digital format is a practice that also informs some of my non-digital art.  I have a few versions of PS but always end up defaulting to 5.5.  I know, I'm a dinosaur.  But it works for me, and I love it!  Here are some of my pieces….

 

I'm a self-taught photoshop artist.  I love manipulating graphics.  I have several ongoing assignments to maintain websites, design logos and print ads, and from time to time just give myself a project to do so I keep my skills up and try to discover new ways to use the platform.  I love making brushes and figuring out how to adjust layers – can you believe it took me several years before I even knew how to use layers?  Working in a digital format is a practice that also informs some of my non-digital art.  I have a few versions of PS but always end up defaulting to 5.5.  I know, I'm a dinosaur.  But it works for me, and I love it!  Here are some of my pieces….

 

I've had several furniture projects over the years.  I've reupholstered chairs, painted dressers, tables, and cribs, but this has to be my favorite – our coffee table.  It had these recessed lines that bugged me – always gettings filled with debris and trying to clean them meant the paint was wearing off.  At I first thought a glass top might solve the problem, anf that led to another idea – why not spray paint with some cool graphics if I'm going to be protecting it with glass anyway?  So I sanded it a little to remove the finish, then I taped off the sides and legs and began spraying.  Love it!   Later, while teaching at Valley Ridge, we were outside with spray paint and I looked over at the picnic table – it was painted black, but was a little worn and chipped, so I hijacked it and spray painted the top!  I love that each year I visit VR the paint has worn off a little more, but there are additions to it – evidence of artists working.

 

I've had several furniture projects over the years.  I've reupholstered chairs, painted dressers, tables, and cribs, but this has to be my favorite – our coffee table.  It had these recessed lines that bugged me – always gettings filled with debris and trying to clean them meant the paint was wearing off.  At I first thought a glass top might solve the problem, anf that led to another idea – why not spray paint with some cool graphics if I'm going to be protecting it with glass anyway?  So I sanded it a little to remove the finish, then I taped off the sides and legs and began spraying.  Love it!   Later, while teaching at Valley Ridge, we were outside with spray paint and I looked over at the picnic table – it was painted black, but was a little worn and chipped, so I hijacked it and spray painted the top!  I love that each year I visit VR the paint has worn off a little more, but there are additions to it – evidence of artists working.